Why, When and How to Get Involved Guide
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Why, when and how to get involvedSeptember 2019 Large Development Sites Consultation • Every planning authority has a Local Plan that provides all the planning rules and policies for that area. • East Hampshire District Council is reviewing its Local Plan. • A Local Plan makes decisions about where new development should go. These big decisions should Introduction be informed by effective public engagement. • This guide helps to explain how to get involved in the Large Development Sites consultation 3 September - 15 October 2019. Where are the potential sites? • The North West (A31 corridor) – Alton, Four Marks and South Medstead, Bentley, Chawton, Ropley • The North East – Whitehill & Bordon, Liphook • The Southern Parishes – Horndean (Rowlands Castle Parish) • Everywhere else in East Hampshire is inside the South Downs National Park and will be subject to the planning rules and policies in the South Downs National Park Authority’s own Local Plan • You may live, work, shop, or play near the potential large development sites. If you are interested in your area, street, or own property, then this will be relevant to you. • You should take every available opportunity to influence decisions about where future development Why get will be located. The earlier you get involved the involved? better. • The only way the local planning authority will know what you want or what you think, is if you tell them! • For many people, the first time they come across a proposed development, is when they are commenting on a planning application in their local area. • All too often, they find that their objection or support is futile because decisions have already been taken in What if you the local plan and agreed a number of years ago. don’t get Often all they can do is seek to influence the fine detail of a proposal. involved? • Early involvement in the preparation of the relevant local planning documents could have prevented this situation. • Some people are only interested in saying ‘no’ to potential development sites and objecting to something they don’t like. It’s part of human nature that we only speak out against something when it threatens us in some way, otherwise we tend to keep Saying yes or quiet. • It is, equally important to say ‘yes’ to a proposal if you no to Large support a particular idea or site being put forward. Many people fail to inform the local planning Development authority of the things they like about a proposal. Sites • It is, however, important to say why you support or object to something or suggest ways your objection could be overcome. • As a general rule, the sooner you can get involved the better. • All Local Plans go through a set process of preparation, involving a number of key stages. • Use this opportunity for involvement to your best advantage. When to • Comments have to be submitted during the consultation period and in writing to count (3 get September – 15 October). • Verbal comments cannot be recorded and will not involved count. • Attend the council’s drop-in events during the consultation period. • This consultation is your opportunity to consider different options for the location of large development sites. A final decision will then be made by the council on which sites feature in the final Local Plan. Therefore you need to get involved in the Making formal process as early as possible. • Clearly identify the large development site you are written objecting to or supporting, using the reference comments or number or site name given in the document; • Say why you are objecting/supporting and, if you representations want to see a proposal changed, say how and put forward your own alternative and the reasons for it; • Keep your comments as simple as possible and organise them in a logical order; • Concentrate on the planning issues involved. These Making formal are known as material considerations; • If objecting to certain aspects of a proposal it is written important to stress which aspects you disagree on, so comments or attention can be focused on issues of conflict. Try to show that you have understood, yet still disagree with representations the proposal; • Refer to local issues and concerns, but try to relate them to the main planning issues. Locally prepared reports/plans may help support your comments (for Making formal example sustainable community strategy). written • Your local knowledge is invaluable, but try not to get side-tracked onto non-material, temporary or non- comments or planning issues. Noise and disturbance during construction and property values are typical areas to representations avoid. Making your comment count (examples) • Use the site reference number or site name where possible. • Try to answer the specific consultation questions. • Comments have to be submitted during the consultation period and in writing to count. Verbal comments cannot be recorded and will not count. • Please concentrate your efforts on the content of Additional the comments - put your heads together and do joint responses if you wish as this may provide a points to note more effective response. • If you are aware of any hard to reach groups who may miss the opportunity to make a representation, please let us know so that we can engage with them as early as possible. • Petitions and photocopied responses with different names added. It’s not the number of times something is said or the number of responses we get that influence the decisions made. • Avoid using personal details or photographs in responses which will have to be redacted before publication. • Avoid using discriminatory comments which is What to avoid unlawful under the Equality Act 2010. The Act protects individuals from discrimination based on sex, race, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy & maternity, marriage & civil partnership, religion & belief, sexual orientation & age. Any such comments will not be published and the individuals will be reported to the police. For each site: 1. Do you have any comments on the proposed uses? 2. What infrastructure is required to support the proposal and when? This could be on or off-site provision. 3. Do you know of any other constraints to developing the site? Please provide detail and evidence. 4. What opportunities and/or benefits do you think the proposal could bring. Please explain how. 5. What are the cross-boundary considerations and the potential implications? How can they be overcome? What to answer 6. The site promoters consider their proposal to be deliverable within the Local (Consultation Plan period up to 2036. Is there any reason that this is not achievable? Other questions: questions) 7. Is there any other Large Development Site that could deliver over 600 homes and other supporting uses by 2036, that is not included in this consultation? 8. Do you have any comments on the assessment of Large Development Sites, as set out in the Council’s background paper? 9. Do you have any comments on the relationship between Large Development Sites and the draft Local Plan (2017-2036), particularly in relation to what other policies and proposals the draft Local Plan should contain? 10. Is there any feedback you would like to give us about this consultation? Your response to the consultation can be submitted through our online portal at https://easthants.oc2.uk/ (available from 9am 3rd September) Alternatively, a questionnaire can be downloaded from our webpage, completed and sent to us: How to By email: [email protected] By writing to: Planning Policy respond/ East Hampshire District Council, Penns Place, comment Petersfield, Hampshire GU31 4EX View it online The Local Plan: Large Development Sites Consultation can be viewed on the Council’s website www.easthants.gov.uk/large-development-sites- Where to view consultation additional View it as a hard copy Copies of the Local Plan: Large Development Sites Consultation will be held at the Local Planning Authority and at a number of deposit locations as set out information below: Planning Reception East Hampshire District Council Monday – Friday Penns Place, Petersfield, Hampshire, GU31 9.00 am - 5.00pm 4EX Alton Information Office Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday Alternative formats 7 Cross & Pillory Lane, 9.00am – 4.30pm If you would like this document or Alton, Hampshire, GU34 1HL (closed 1.00pm – 1.30pm) other consultation material in a Wednesday closed different format, such as large print or a different language, please email us at [email protected] Monday, Wednesday, Friday Bordon Information Office 9.00am – 4.30pm Forest Community Centre (closed 1.00pm – 1.30pm) Pinehill Road, Bordon, Hampshire, GU35 0BS Tuesday, Thursday closed Where to view Bramshott & Liphook Parish Office Monday – Friday The Haskell Centre, Midhurst Road, 10.00am – 1.00pm additional Liphook, Hampshire, GU30 7TN Horndean Parish Office Monday – Thursday information Tyfield House, Blendworth Lane, 8.30am – 4.30pm Hampshire, PO8 0AA Friday 8.30am – 4.00pm Binsted Parish Office Monday – Friday The Pavilion, The Street, Binsted, 9.00am – 1.00pm Alton, Hampshire, GU34 1PB Headley Parish Office Monday – Wednesday, Friday Headley Village Hall Alternative formats 9.00am – 1.00pm If you would like this document or Arford Road, Headley other consultation material in a Hampshire, GU35 8LJ different format, such as large print or a different language, please email us at [email protected] Monday – Thursday 10.00am – 4.00pm, Four Marks Parish Office by prior arrangement on a Friday. Sports Pavilion, Uplands Lane, Four Marks, Where to view